Laser Technology

Onychomycosis (Nail Fungus)

Onychomycosis means fungal infection of the nail. It is the most common disease of the nails and constitutes about a half of all nail abnormalities. This condition may affect toenails or fingernails. There are four types of onychomycosis. The most common form is distal subungual onychomycosis, which invades the nail bed and the underside of the nail plate. White superficial onychomycosis is caused by fungal invasion of the superficial layers of the nail plate. Proximal subungual onychomycosis is fungal penetration of the newly formed nail plate through the proximal nail fold. Lastly, Candidal onychomycosis is the invasion of the fingernail, usually occurring in persons who frequently immerse their hands in water.

The most common symptoms of a fungal nail infection is the nail becoming thickened and discolored (white, black, yellow, or green). As the infection progresses the nail can become brittle, with pieces breaking off or coming away from the toe or finger completely. If untreated, the skin can become inflamed and painful underneath and around the nail.

With the use of the ND:YAG 1064 laser, tiny pulses of light pass through the nail, surrounding tissue, and the fungus underneath. The laser light causes the pigment in the fungus to heat and kill or damage the fungal organism. The fungus is eradicated without any damage to the surrounding nail or skin.

Hair Removal

Hair removal is the most popular light-based aesthetic procedure in the world. Using the SHR laser can deliver fast, effective results for permanent hair reduction on all skin types, including all ethnicities. This SHR laser now has contact cooling and uses IN-Motion™ technology for virtually pain-free procedures with no downtime. To perform light-based hair removal, a large rectangular window emitting broad-spectrum light is applied to the surface of the skin. The energy travels harmlessly through the epidermis and dermis until it strikes the hair follicle, which contains a dense, melanin-rich hair shaft and bulb. The dark-colored melanin absorbs the light and rises quickly in temperature, destroying the hair-producing cells surrounding the follicle. Because the heat is not sustained, no damage occurs to the surrounding skin outside the follicle area.

Spider Vein Treatment

Unsightly leg veins plague many patients and are a commonality among people as young as their late 20s. Noninvasive laser treatment for spider veins on the legs is one of the most requested, yet most challenging of aesthetic procedures. Because of the various diameters, depths, and pressures found with these dilated blood vessels, treatment often requires a wide range of wavelengths, widths, and fluences. Using the ND:YAG 1064 and the AFT (Advanced Fluorescence Technology), physicians are able to treat both superficial and deep telangieciasias of the legs as well as telangiectatic matting and hemosiderin staining. Using the principle of selective photothermolysis, these vessels can be selectively heated and collapsed using Alma technology noninvasive lasers without damaging the surrounding, healthy tissue.

Laser Wart Treatment

Warts are skin growth caused by viral infection with the HPV virus. Warts affect the top layer of the skin, are usually skin colored and rough. However, they can be flat, dark, and smooth, depending on the location on the body and strain of HPV virus. They are contagious and are acquired from person to person (like handshakes), contact with infected objects (gym equipment), and self spread.

The ND:YAG 1064 Laser wavelength specifically targets hemoglobin and uses the blood supply feeding the virus to destroy the virus, while at the same time cutting off the blood supply to the wart. The long pulse duration allows full-volume heating of the blood right at the base of the wart.